architectural technology/construction detailing OR another skill..

I'm about to finish my undergrad and hear about the terrible job market. It seems like students with masters are at a better advantage to get hired. With that said, I wanted to know if I'd have better chances of getting hired if I became proficient in say using grasshopper, parametric design or the 'popular software' out there today, OR would I be at a better advantage if I spent time obtaining architectural technology/construction detailing knowledge and skills?

It seem like wayyy too many students know how to use fancy software and parametric design but usually don't have much clue or properly understand the whys and hows to draft a construction detail other than copying details from books or manufacturers ofcourse. I'm guilty for one hence my question.. :)

Both of those would be 'helpful' but as someone who went through this same thing a couple years ago, I can say that they wont score you a job. What will score you a job is meeting the right person. Spend your time finding out how to 'introduce' yourself to the architecture community where you want to work. Maybe you can volunteer somewhere, or ask a professor who likes you for help. Try and get a friend to get you hired (this is truly the best way to do it). Wish I had better suggestions but I spent all my time learning grasshopper and reading technical stuff until I got totally lucky and landed a job. I wouldn't really recommend that path (although grasshopper is super interesting, just learn it for yourself). Firms aren't going to really care that you read detail magazine and that you say you understand construction when you don't actually have the experience to prove it. You should do that stuff for yourself, but it wont help you get a job.

i would suspect most firms don't really care if you know grasshopper. firms do need to do models and renderings of buildings, so if you use grasshopper in such a way as to do that better it might help. if you're the go-to guy on how to make revit work, that's a valuable skill and they will keep you around. however, that skill becomes less important with every new software update. you can keep up on learning new software, but ultimately your position at that firm becomes IT guy. from my limited experience, it seems the people running most architecture firms sincerely believe that if you take that IT path you would be incapable of designing a building. to say it another way, there is an IT position and there is an 'architect' position. in theory you should be able to do both, but in practice it tends to not work that way. you're building a glass ceiling for yourself on that path.

learn how buildings go together and your daily tasks would likely be more architecture related and less office support.

no, MyDream, you're doing the right thing. I don't know about archicad... but learning how to render in 3dsMax and vray is invaluable. At least where I work, the more proficiently you render the more design opportunities/studies you are given. Keep honing your rendering skills, they will serve you well.

I would love to access i have it saved on a junk drive, but in order to take the test you must also have the practice delivery book as well. Anyways in order for me to email it to you i would want some kind of payment.: )